SIGNATURE QUILT

This quilt is finished!  It is made from signature squares from a 2010 swap on the Dear Jane Alternate yahoo group.

It's fun looking at these, and revisiting my online and in person friends who participated.

I'm entering this quilt in our show in the group quilt category.  It's the first time we have had a category for quilts made by more than three people.

I hope we continue this category, because I have many quilts made from swap blocks.

Before it would have had to go in the collaborative category, which includes all the quilt tops made by one person and then quilted by someone else -- a very different category to me.

DOLL SIGGIE SWAP

I've been working on signature blocks for a doll siggy swap.  On the left is the size I swap on Dear Jane list and the International Siggie swap. On the right is what I'm making for the dolls to swap. You can see the 'big' ones are 5" to finish 4.5". The dolls are trading 2" finished size blocks, 2.5" unfinished.  In the center is the doll's name, the girl's name, where they live (city, state, country) and the year. I'm pretty sure the hardest part is going to be writing so small.  I have entered a doll in the swap for each of my three granddaughters, so lots of tiny stitching is in my future.

50 SIGGIES

50 siggies stamped and drying overnite.  They will be heat-set and packaged tomorrow. 

A close-up of one. 

 pack

SIGGIES ARRIVE

Three siggies have arrived recently.  One is from Donna from IL.  The other two are from Europe.  One from Germany and one from The Netherlands.  Both of those came with letters I can't read, but it's fun to try to make out some of the words.  Siggy is siggy in every language, so it's all good!

If you'd like to trade with me just email me.  This is my current siggy.  I'm using my stamp with both of my states and owl fabric right now.  There's a tutorial page at the top of my blog for making them.

SIGGY FROM GERMANY

This beautiful star arrived from Germany this week. I love how Annette sewed a smaller block within the block. She also sent a lovely hand-written letter about herself. This is certainly a fun way to get to know other quilters around the globe. Mine will go out to her on Monday.

SIGGY SWAPS

I have used up all my made-ahead siggies for swapping. My last ones used a spool stamp and spool fabric.

This time, I decided to go with something representing our location on Lake Superior. Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is just down the road/beach from us, at Whitefish Point. Especially in the spring and fall, there are many migratory birds. But all the time, birds are around.

So I selected this shore bird stamp and fabric for my new batch. I'll be using them on the International Siggy Swap (scroll down on the left on my sidebar if interested), and also for the 2011 Dear Jane Siggy Swap, which just opened up today. You must be a member of the Dear Jane list if you are interest in that one.

If you'd like to swap one-on-one with me, just email me. And it you need to know how to make these siggies, scroll down, and click on my siggy tutorial.

Lighthouses, waterfalls, shore things, etc. all would be good to represent our Paradise location, so I have lots of fodder for the future.

SIGGIE FROM ITALY

This lovely siggy arrived from Italy yesterday. I love Rosanna's delicous design. If you are interested in swapping siggies on the International Siggy Swap group, scroll down and look for it on the left on my blog.

INTERNATIONAL SIGGIE SWAP

I received this lovely siggie from Saskia, from the Netherlands. She used the same autumn design on the siggie and in her letter. Very nice!

INTERNATIONAL SIGGIES ARRIVE

Several siggies have arrived recently. This adorable Dutch girl came from The Netherlands.

And these two siggies came from sisters, who live on the same street!

INTERNATIONAL SIGGY SWAP

This adorable cat siggy arrived in my mail from Mary in the Netherlands. DH was most impressed that I'm already getting international mail sent up here, in the UP.

I love her corner fabric, and the cat is all hand embroidered. Very nice!

Mary and I are both in The International Siggy Swap group, which you can learn about by scrolling down on the left.

2010 DEAR JANE SIGGIE QUILT FLIMSY

Here's my 2010 DJ Siggy Quilt flimsy. I'm making a simple throw from the blocks. I still have siggies from two prior years to make something with. Perhaps something fancier with more flair will strike with those.

Oh, and about the wool, I posted about it on Woolie Buddies yahoo group. Some great advice and expertise there! More on that later.

Now I'm off to meet a DJer from the big list, for a sit-and-sew at a LQS in Apopka. Who knew?

TRIMMED SIGGIES

When something new arrives in the mail, I just have to play! So it is with these siggies. Other projects are slid down temporarily. It's a really bad habit!

I trimmed up the siggies this morning, so they all have a more uniform look now. I've tried laying them out light to dark, trip around the world, and as they are, rainbow. Not sure what I'll so with them, but they'd make several great tote bags to take to retreat, shows, or class. They'd also make great pillowcases at retreats. Hmmm.............I'll probably make a throw, but ideas are dancing all over the place in my head!

DJ SIGGIES ARRIVE

Look what the mail lady brought yesterday! It's the siggies from the Spring 2010 swap with Dear Jane. These are all the same block, signed with name, date, and location of the creators. I put them up on the design wall for a better look, but they haven't been trimmed yet. We each trim our own, so it is normal that they look a bit rough around the edges and different sized too. I added two from the International Siggy swap to even it out. I love all of them, from the plain Jane's to the fancy stamps, and everything in between.

SIGGY ARRIVES AND A HEART GOES OUT

You have to love a calico cat, especially when she's on the center of a siggy. This is Miss Abbie, and she was sent by Carolyn from Iowa. Her bow is tied on and dimensional. Nice!

This heart block is going out to my on-line friend, Karen, whose mom died recently.

INTERNATIONAL SIGGIE & BOOKCASE UPDATE (yet, again)

This lovely siggie arrived from Isabelle, from France. Love her dog and the Eiffel Tower fabric! She just joined the International Siggie Swap.

Bookcase update:
After staring at furniture, dreaming of bookcases, etc., I am now up to plan G, or is it X or Y? I tried to get a picture of my current idea with the sashing fabric spread underneath, but I couldn't get it the way it is in my head, so you'll have to wait to see. More progress later today or tomorrow, inshallah, (hopefully, or God willing and the creek don't rise, etc).

DEAR JANE SIGGIES

This morning I finished my 67 Siggies for the Dear Jane 2010 Siggie Swap. Above the photo is cropped to show how they will look when trimmed. But we don't trim them up. Each receiver does it. We make them over-sized and the receivers trim to 4 1/2", thereby avoiding the problem of too small blocks, common in swaps. The photo below shows my 7 stacks of 10 each. There's 3 extra's because I work in 10's, but those will be used in the International Siggy Swap. Four blocks are flower print and the rest are spools, in two different fabrics. I also mixed up the ink color for my spool stamp, and some have pale pink fabric for the center and others are off-white -- just to keep it interesting.

SIGGY ARRIVES

A lovely siggy arrived all the way from the Netherlands. Dorine used a machine-applique fleur de lis for her center. It represents the French lily, because of the town she lives in, Lelystad. I love the bright, perky orange.

My stack of siggies to send out is getting low, and I think I'd better get busy and sew a batch of 10 or so.

INTERNATIONAL SIGGIE SWAP

Two siggies from Germany arrived in my mail the other day. Both are just beautiful. The top one is a hand embroidered goat, from Anne. I think that has to do with her life, but the letter was from Sylvia. Her nick-name is "Fliederhexe" which translates to "Lilac Witch", the good kind she assures. Her lilac fabric and embroidered witch surely reflect that.

INTERNATIONAL SIGGIE ARRIVES

This wonderful siggie arrived in the mail from Australia yesterday. Helen hand embroidered the koala on a limb, and used an Aussie print for the block. She also included a letter and this wonderful card depicting native Australian designs. Just when I was thinking maybe I was done with the International Siggie Swap, this one arrives, and of course I'm staying in now. If you are interested, there's a link scrolling down on my sidebar.

SIGGY FROM ITALY

This wonderful siggy arrived today from Laura in Italy. That tiny sailboat block is only 1 1/2" square! My goodness! The entire siggy is just 4 1/2" square. What wonderful work!